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Upcoming Lecture to Explore Research on Tai Chi and Aging-Related Risks

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September 09, 2016

NCCIH Blog Team

On Monday, September 12, at 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. ET, Peter Wayne, Ph.D., will give the first talk in the Fall 2016 Integrative Medicine Research Lecture Series, on “‘Minding’ Our Bodies: Research on the Impact of Tai Chi on Cognitive-neuromuscular Interactions in Older Adults.” The lecture will take place on the NIH campus, and will be streamed live and archived for later viewing at videocast.nih.gov.

As people get older, two things that they often worry about are (1) a decline in cognitive health and (2) hurting themselves through falling. Both problems are major public health concerns. Dr. Wayne will provide a summary of the state of the evidence on tai chi for preserving and rehabilitating decline―related to age and/or chronic disease―in postural control and cognitive function. He will cover basic research studies exploring the mechanisms of the impact of tai chi, as well as pragmatic clinical studies of the practice. Another topic will be the potential for using technology to monitor and deliver mind and body interventions at the community level.

Dr. Wayne is an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School (HMS) and research director for the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine located jointly at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and HMS. Dr. Wayne has received funding for more than 20 NIH-funded studies, served on NIH review panels, and served on editorial boards for three journals.

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Submitted by Nate (not verified) on September 15, 2016 - 8:53pm

Wish I was there to attend. As a arborist, military veteran and avid runner tai chi is something I have never done but want to get involved with. I remember running a 5K with my wife in Louisville and there was a huge class of Tai Chi practitioners down near the river doing it. I think there is so much we don’t know about the mind-body aspect of health. Some of the things the Buddist monks have done through development and control of their chi is amazing. I remember watching a video of a guy using an electric drill on the side of a monk’s head and couldn’t penetrate his skull. Thanks for the post.Nathan